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Granted it's not the most inspiring and dynamic of titles but yet again this event provided what I firmly believe to be the best weekend on a bike. I first discovered the event last year and was so inspired by it that I wrote an article on the Alpkit website:http://www.alpkit.com/daring-deeds/welsh-ride-thing-part-1Another year on and my enthusiasm has not waned in fact if anything has increased further with the knowledge that both Ollie and Chief would also take part this year. Our goals all differed slightly so we all decided to ride solo with the hope that we may meet up at some point.As I intend doing a few more 12 and 24hr endurance events this year my prime goal outside of thoroughly enjoying myself on bike for 3 days in Wales was to cover as many miles as I could. I therefore planned a route that would allow me to pick up all 15 checkpoints. The requirement from Stuart http://welshridething.blogspot.com/ was to pick up 9 out of 11 central checkpoints and 3 out of 5 more far flung ones.Having fellow riders to practice with was a real boost, allowing us plenty of practice rides and kit comparisons as well as having a sounding board when it comes to route planning. Some shots of our practice rides can be seen here. Winter training Spring trainingSo finally with my kit refined down to what I actually need and my bike fettled for the the weekend we headed to the start at Stuart's an a rather overcast Sat morning. Following a rather informal raffle and weigh-in we set off just after lunch.Rather than writing a blow by blow account of the weekend we thought that a quick Q&A session will get you a slightly more 'punchy' account of our experiences....so read on.
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| Ready for the off, Chief, Paul & Ollie |
Paul: I did it last year for the 1st time and enjoyed it enormously and so had to do it again. Already looking forward to the next one.
Chief: Paul had talked at length about the WRT 2010 and I liked the idea of having to take all of your kit with you on a 3 day bike ride in the wilderness of Wales and have to be entirely self sufficient. I had never done anything similar before so it would be a whole new learning experience.
Ollie: To do some solo riding, relying on myself to get the chance to do some soul searching on the bike - plus who can turn down the opportunity to make loads of cool kit!!
2. How did you prepare?
Paul: Research (Internet browsing), experience from the previous year and a good number of local bivvy trips to work out what works and what you actually need.
Chief: I had only done a couple of one night bivvys before so I was still working out what kit I would need, and I hadn't done long rides on consecutive days either so there was lots for me to learn. I was conscious not to read too much on the Internet forums as to what other people were doing but had heard that most people were heading in a clockwise direction. As I wanted to see how I fared on my own I planned an anti-clockwise route. In a further effort to 'do my own thing' I planned to take in the furthermost points rather than a more direct route.
Ollie: Scouts was pretty good prep, plus I was in to bivvying at Uni - but nothing quite as extreme as the WRT. We did some trial runs in the local woods - the peak of which was cooking trout and chorizo followed by Moroccan lamb tagine and apple pie for desert - somewhat more high class than my WRT sustenance!!
3. What was the best bit of kit you took?
Paul: Montane featherlite pants. The weather turned pretty unpleasant at the top of tarrehendre and Istarted to feel really cold. Popped these trousers on and the transformation was remarkable. Really light and comfortable to wear and cut out pretty much all of the windchill. I would describe them as showerproof at best but the fact that they cut out the wind and that they dry almost instantly when it stops raining makes them pretty useful.
Chief: All the main kit I had worked well; sleeping bag, home made tarp, Wildcat bar harness but I think the best thing I had was my bike.
Ollie: Coke can stove - there was no substitute for a hot meal that weekend!
4. What was the worst bit of kit you took?
Paul: Tea bags.......In an attempt to stop my penny stove from rattling around in my Myti mug amongst other things I thought that I would wedge in a couple of tea bags thinking that the quiet kit would be less distracting and I could have a hot drink as well. Unfortunately (Obviously with hindsight) the stove cut through the bags thereby filling my stove, mug, pot lighter, food and numerous other items with tea dust, which obviously as soon as it got wet turned into a brown sludge.
Chief: My insect repellent was quite useless on Sunday night - the mozzies feasted well that evening. I had to treat the bites on my legs for the rest of the week.
Ollie: Suncream!!! Seriously I think my homemade tarp was inadequate for the conditions - having to lie flat on my back on the floor to slide into it (and my sleeping bag) was fine on a nice dry floor in the woods near work - in the pis*ing rain in wales it got grim pretty quickly.
5. What didn't you use?
Paul: Tea bags, sun cream, one evening meal and one breakfast.
Chief: When I saw the forecast for wet weather I packed some extra clothes to make sure I'd have something dry to change into. In the end I remained dry enough so they didn't get used. I also took some liquid soap that didn't get used – wet wipes were sufficient.
Ollie: Suncream, Sloe-gin, one freeze dried breakfast, about 15 matches, 50ml of meths (from the 200ml I started with).
6. What do you wish you had taken?
Paul: Waterproof map and possibly a GPS to confirm my position. I did all of my planning / navigation around a 1:50,000 OS map and find that it generally works really well. I am borderline OCD when it comes to checking my position, looking for landmarks, turns etc. A GPS would probably allow me to stop less as I would be able to pinpoint my position on the O/S map using the BNG co-ordinates from the GPS.
Chief: Slug repellant. On the Saturday night I woke up twice with slugs on my face. I must have camped on some sort of slug-highway.
Ollie:A bigger tarp/hammock - next year its loose 7kg of the human frame and then have 3kg back in kit to make the whole experience more luxurious!!
7. What was the highlight?
Paul: I spent 48hours over 3 days riding 75% of the time in the driving rain and fog (Clouds), sleeping rough for 2 nights and yet it was an amazing weekend on the bike! Why? The challenge of fulfilling your goals is always a good motivator. A weekend on the bike anywhere is always going to be good.
Chief: I can't think of an outstanding highlight but to start with every checkpoint I reached was a boost. Later on every hill I reached the top of was an achievement – towards the end getting to the top of every slight incline was cause for celebration. And the pastie I had when I got back to the car was particularly nice.
Ollie: Close call between getting up and over tarrenhendre in the crazy winds, with it getting dark and making it back to relative civilization and re-locating myself when I got very lost on the first day - never been so glad to see a group of hikers in my life!!
8. What was your low point?
Paul : Realising when I came to take a photo at checkpoint B4 that somewhere over the previous 4 km that I had dropped my phone and camera. It was incredibly windy, pouring with rain and I knew that I had it when I met a group of 4 who were de-camping. I therefore had to cycle back uphill (Surprise) scouring the ground all the way up. As I got to a gate that was approx 1.5km back up the hill, the group of 4 had just reached it, one of them bent down and to my relief waved my 'high viz black' bag that I'd been searching for all the way up. On the plus side I did get to do the fast open downhill again although by now I started to shiver uncontrollably as the wet had soaked through.............
Chief: On Sunday night I was looking to get another checkpoint before finishing up for the night and headed into Dyfi Forest. I took the wrong track and instead of heading back to my last known point I carried on deeper in to the forest and was soon completely lost. Being alone, lost and tired I started panicking and was clearly not thinking straight. Eventually I found a well used track and knew that would be my way out. Having calmed down a bit I set up camp for the night and was then eaten by the mozzies.
Ollie: Now there is quite a lot of competition for this one - I think getting lost and then getting a puncture and finding out I had bought the wrong tubes was a low moment, as was waking up Monday morning to find out that in my clearly delirious state the previous evening I had "cleverly" hung my clothes to dry in a tree "out of the rain" - the preceded to get soaked and I had to then put them on to ride in the next next.
9. Where did you sleep each night?
Paul: Tarp, bivvy, in the woods, worked really well. The 1st night was up in the woods NW of Cadair Idris, approx 2km west of Checkpoint B#. It was really wet and although extremely windy out in the open the woods gave plenty of shelter. At 1st light it was still wet, I was tucked into the trees 10ft or so and as the woodland was at nearly 400m it was quite impressive to watch the cloud would billow into the opening only then to be drawn out again as the wind swirled. 2nd night was in an unlikely place, half way dawn a steep walled vally in an extremely dense pine woodland near to a stream. It wouldn't have been an obvious choice but I had ridden with Taylor and Sally earlier in the day and he recommended it as he and Stuart had made a small clearing there earlier in the year and it was spot on. Flat, dry and sheltered from the wind. Did I mention that I saw no midges either night!
Chief: Saturday night I found a small strip of forest just off a bridle way near Dinas Mawddwy. It was very well sheltered from wind and rain. Sunday night was spent somewhere in Dyfi Forest, well sheltered again but after I had set up camp the mozzies decided to move in.
Ollie:
10. Did your plan work?
Paul: Yep !
Chief: Mostly. I managed to tide on my own for most of the event, Monday morning I met up with a couple of guys on that were heading back the same way so we rode together to the finish. I got to most of the checkpoints I had planned to get to. I didn't ride my route exactly as planned but it was intended to be a flexible route.
Ollie: My kit plan worked but my navigational plan went completely to sh*t - next year I'm going to pay much more attention to contours during the planning stages and not just looking for cool stuff to ride over.
11. What will you do differently next time?
Paul: May use a GPS to position check, print maps on waterproof paper.
Chief: I would spend more time planning my route and using additional resources such as mapping websites. A GPS would help with the navigation but I enjoyed the challenge of just using the OS maps.
Ollie: More luxurious kit - can't put a price on being able to shelter properly out of the elements, and I WILL have somewhere to get changed in the dry.
12. What new kit will you buy/make for next time?
Paul: Frame bag and Improve stove durability.
Chief: Some guys had printed customised maps out on waterproof paper so that would be useful – my paper map started to get a bit soggy by Monday causing the colours to run. I would also like to try a large saddle bag instead of the stuff sack on the rear rack.
Ollie: Make a new tarp and possibly make a bike for the next one!!
13. What advice would you give a WRT virgin?
Paul: Do not plan your route using bridleways. This may work occasionally but over the weekend you will fail if you try and navigate using them. Keep to forest tracks and fire roads wherever possible.
Chief:Don't pack too much stuff! You need much less than you think, it's only 48hrs!
Ollie:Do it! Don't plan it too much, don't plan to use bridleways unless you like getting lost/shouted at by farmers/trench foot/
14. Use 5 words to describe your WRT 2011 experience:
Paul: Best weekend on a bike.
Chief:Steep, wet, steeper, bitten, slugs.
Ollie:Grim, miserable, savage, limit-finding, brilliant!!
More photos here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drcrater/sets/72157626719723803
4. What was the worst bit of kit you took?
Paul: Tea bags.......In an attempt to stop my penny stove from rattling around in my Myti mug amongst other things I thought that I would wedge in a couple of tea bags thinking that the quiet kit would be less distracting and I could have a hot drink as well. Unfortunately (Obviously with hindsight) the stove cut through the bags thereby filling my stove, mug, pot lighter, food and numerous other items with tea dust, which obviously as soon as it got wet turned into a brown sludge.
Chief: My insect repellent was quite useless on Sunday night - the mozzies feasted well that evening. I had to treat the bites on my legs for the rest of the week.
Ollie: Suncream!!! Seriously I think my homemade tarp was inadequate for the conditions - having to lie flat on my back on the floor to slide into it (and my sleeping bag) was fine on a nice dry floor in the woods near work - in the pis*ing rain in wales it got grim pretty quickly.
5. What didn't you use?
Paul: Tea bags, sun cream, one evening meal and one breakfast.
Chief: When I saw the forecast for wet weather I packed some extra clothes to make sure I'd have something dry to change into. In the end I remained dry enough so they didn't get used. I also took some liquid soap that didn't get used – wet wipes were sufficient.
Ollie: Suncream, Sloe-gin, one freeze dried breakfast, about 15 matches, 50ml of meths (from the 200ml I started with).
6. What do you wish you had taken? Paul: Waterproof map and possibly a GPS to confirm my position. I did all of my planning / navigation around a 1:50,000 OS map and find that it generally works really well. I am borderline OCD when it comes to checking my position, looking for landmarks, turns etc. A GPS would probably allow me to stop less as I would be able to pinpoint my position on the O/S map using the BNG co-ordinates from the GPS.
Chief: Slug repellant. On the Saturday night I woke up twice with slugs on my face. I must have camped on some sort of slug-highway.
Ollie:A bigger tarp/hammock - next year its loose 7kg of the human frame and then have 3kg back in kit to make the whole experience more luxurious!!
7. What was the highlight?
Paul: I spent 48hours over 3 days riding 75% of the time in the driving rain and fog (Clouds), sleeping rough for 2 nights and yet it was an amazing weekend on the bike! Why? The challenge of fulfilling your goals is always a good motivator. A weekend on the bike anywhere is always going to be good.
Chief: I can't think of an outstanding highlight but to start with every checkpoint I reached was a boost. Later on every hill I reached the top of was an achievement – towards the end getting to the top of every slight incline was cause for celebration. And the pastie I had when I got back to the car was particularly nice.
Ollie: Close call between getting up and over tarrenhendre in the crazy winds, with it getting dark and making it back to relative civilization and re-locating myself when I got very lost on the first day - never been so glad to see a group of hikers in my life!!
8. What was your low point?
Paul : Realising when I came to take a photo at checkpoint B4 that somewhere over the previous 4 km that I had dropped my phone and camera. It was incredibly windy, pouring with rain and I knew that I had it when I met a group of 4 who were de-camping. I therefore had to cycle back uphill (Surprise) scouring the ground all the way up. As I got to a gate that was approx 1.5km back up the hill, the group of 4 had just reached it, one of them bent down and to my relief waved my 'high viz black' bag that I'd been searching for all the way up. On the plus side I did get to do the fast open downhill again although by now I started to shiver uncontrollably as the wet had soaked through.............
Chief: On Sunday night I was looking to get another checkpoint before finishing up for the night and headed into Dyfi Forest. I took the wrong track and instead of heading back to my last known point I carried on deeper in to the forest and was soon completely lost. Being alone, lost and tired I started panicking and was clearly not thinking straight. Eventually I found a well used track and knew that would be my way out. Having calmed down a bit I set up camp for the night and was then eaten by the mozzies.
Ollie: Now there is quite a lot of competition for this one - I think getting lost and then getting a puncture and finding out I had bought the wrong tubes was a low moment, as was waking up Monday morning to find out that in my clearly delirious state the previous evening I had "cleverly" hung my clothes to dry in a tree "out of the rain" - the preceded to get soaked and I had to then put them on to ride in the next next.
9. Where did you sleep each night?
Paul: Tarp, bivvy, in the woods, worked really well. The 1st night was up in the woods NW of Cadair Idris, approx 2km west of Checkpoint B#. It was really wet and although extremely windy out in the open the woods gave plenty of shelter. At 1st light it was still wet, I was tucked into the trees 10ft or so and as the woodland was at nearly 400m it was quite impressive to watch the cloud would billow into the opening only then to be drawn out again as the wind swirled. 2nd night was in an unlikely place, half way dawn a steep walled vally in an extremely dense pine woodland near to a stream. It wouldn't have been an obvious choice but I had ridden with Taylor and Sally earlier in the day and he recommended it as he and Stuart had made a small clearing there earlier in the year and it was spot on. Flat, dry and sheltered from the wind. Did I mention that I saw no midges either night!
Chief: Saturday night I found a small strip of forest just off a bridle way near Dinas Mawddwy. It was very well sheltered from wind and rain. Sunday night was spent somewhere in Dyfi Forest, well sheltered again but after I had set up camp the mozzies decided to move in.
Ollie:
10. Did your plan work?
Paul: Yep !
Chief: Mostly. I managed to tide on my own for most of the event, Monday morning I met up with a couple of guys on that were heading back the same way so we rode together to the finish. I got to most of the checkpoints I had planned to get to. I didn't ride my route exactly as planned but it was intended to be a flexible route.
Ollie: My kit plan worked but my navigational plan went completely to sh*t - next year I'm going to pay much more attention to contours during the planning stages and not just looking for cool stuff to ride over.
11. What will you do differently next time?
Paul: May use a GPS to position check, print maps on waterproof paper.
Chief: I would spend more time planning my route and using additional resources such as mapping websites. A GPS would help with the navigation but I enjoyed the challenge of just using the OS maps.
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| Glyndwrs Way |
12. What new kit will you buy/make for next time?
Paul: Frame bag and Improve stove durability.
Chief: Some guys had printed customised maps out on waterproof paper so that would be useful – my paper map started to get a bit soggy by Monday causing the colours to run. I would also like to try a large saddle bag instead of the stuff sack on the rear rack.
Ollie: Make a new tarp and possibly make a bike for the next one!!
13. What advice would you give a WRT virgin?
Paul: Do not plan your route using bridleways. This may work occasionally but over the weekend you will fail if you try and navigate using them. Keep to forest tracks and fire roads wherever possible.
Chief:Don't pack too much stuff! You need much less than you think, it's only 48hrs!
Ollie:Do it! Don't plan it too much, don't plan to use bridleways unless you like getting lost/shouted at by farmers/trench foot/
14. Use 5 words to describe your WRT 2011 experience:
Paul: Best weekend on a bike.
Chief:Steep, wet, steeper, bitten, slugs.
Ollie:Grim, miserable, savage, limit-finding, brilliant!!
More photos here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drcrater/sets/72157626719723803
